Fish-plate.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT MONROE WILSON, OF CHEROKEE, IOWA.

FISH-PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 689,270, dated December 17, 1901- Application filed June 5, 1901.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT MONROE WIL- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cherokee, in the county of Cherokee and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Fish-Plate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in fish-plates for railway-rails; and the object is to provide in connection with a fish-plate a simple device operating to hold the plate firmly and permanently in place.

I will describe a fish-plate embodying my invention and then. point out the novel features in the appended claims Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of rail-sections and fish-plates, showing my invention as applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 2 indicate the two meeting ends of railway-rails, which are connected together by the usual fish-plates 3. The lower outwardly-disposed flanges 4: of the fish-plates are provided with tapped openings for receiving set-screws 5. I have here shown two set-screws connected with the flange at of a fish-plate; but it is to be understood that a greater number may be employed, if desired.- The tie-bolts 6 pass through openings in the fish-plates and through the webs of the rails in the usual manner.

In operation after placing the fish-plates and fastening the nuts on the bolts 6 the fishplates may be more firmly secured or crowded against the under side of the head of the rail by manipulating the set-screws 5 by means of a Wrench or other suitable tool engaging with the angular upper end of the set-screws. The lower ends of these screws of course en-- gage upon the base-flanges of the rail. By tightening these set-screws the fish-plates will Serial No. 63,221. (No model.)

not only be forced tightly against the rails,

as before mentioned, but they exert-a considerable pressure upon the fastening or tie bolts 6, thus preventing the tie-bolts from becom ing loose, as often happens through the constant pounding of trains passing over the rails. I

My invention may be employed in connection with mostof the fish-plates commonly in use. Therefore the only expense attached will be the providing of the set-screws and punching and tapping the holes in the flanges of the fish-plates.

It will be understood that the rocking or clamping movement of the fish-plates is due to the ends of the set-bolts resting merely on the upper surfaces of the rail-base. Said rockin g motion could not occur where the set belts or screws extended into tapped holes in the rail-base.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A fish plate, having an outwardly-extended flange at its lower edge, provided with 7o tapped openings, and set-screws for engaging in said openings, the ends of said set-screws being designed to engage on the top of the base-flanges of a railway-rail, substantially as specified.

2. A fish-plate, having an outwardly-extended-flange at its lower edge and having openings for the passage of tie-bolts, and means carried by said flange for causing a rocking movement of the fish-plate against a 8d railway-rail ahead and also causing it to pinch or bind upon the tie-bolts, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT MONROE WILSON.

Witnesses:

A. G. HOBART, HOMER E. BUSBY. 

